Arsenal have sent an early warning to their Premier League rivals after defeating Manchester City 3-0 to lift the Community Shield in impressive fashion.
The Gunners took control almost immediately, with Riccardo Calafiori scoring after just 24 seconds to register the quickest Community Shield goal since 1968. 
The early strike set the tone for a one-sided encounter, as Arsenal dominated possession, pressed aggressively and kept City under sustained pressure.
Calafiori’s opener came after Myles Lewis-Skelly delivered a superb pass behind the City defence, allowing the Italian defender to finish confidently.
Arsenal continued to dictate proceedings, with Bruno Guimarães making an eye-catching debut following his £75 million move from Newcastle United.
His physical presence and combination with Lewis-Skelly helped Arsenal control the midfield and allowed captain Martin Ødegaard greater freedom to influence the game.
City struggled to match Arsenal’s intensity, and the Gunners doubled their advantage when Ødegaard delivered a dangerous ball towards the back post. Christos Tzolis headed it back across goal, allowing Kai Havertz to finish from close range.
Arsenal completed the rout shortly after half-time.
Lewis-Skelly and Tzolis combined again before Ødegaard broke into the penalty area, rounded Gianluigi Donnarumma and calmly slotted the ball home to make it 3-0.
The victory will provide Arsenal with a major confidence boost ahead of the new Premier League campaign, while their performance highlighted the quality and depth of their revamped squad.
For City, the defeat exposed several weaknesses and offered an early reminder that Arsenal could be among the strongest contenders for the Premier League title this season.
With the Community Shield now secured, Arsenal will head into the league campaign with renewed confidence and a statement victory over one of their biggest rivals.
